


Va Gérudo Kast

by quietpastelcolours



Series: Breaking the Cycle [3]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Breaking the Cycle AU, F/M, Zelda's first trip to the desert, also explicit sex scenes, and graphic violence, everything from cooking to monster attacks, they bring like five kids + Link
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-05-22 00:51:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6064567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quietpastelcolours/pseuds/quietpastelcolours
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of oneshots from my Breaking the Cycle AU - these are seperate from my other oneshots because these are all set in the Gerudo Valley, not Hyrule Castle as the rest are, as Ganondorf has taken to Zelda, Link, and their children (thus far) to the desert for the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Arrivals

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in my Breaking the Cycle AU, and would have put it in my BtC oneshots series if this wasn't going to be multiple chapters long. Therefore, I decided to have it on its own so it didn't get all muddled up with the BtC oneshots from when they are all still in Hyrule.
> 
> Credit to gerudoshikyapril.tumblr.com, who created the Gerudo language I used here! Granted, there's not much in this chapter, but there will be more later on. Plus I used it for the title.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ganondorf takes Zelda, along with children Ralon, Safieta, Ciery, Niruni and Aela and Link, travel to the desert for the first time. This chapter is basically the journey and first impressions of the desert/fortress. The exciting stuff comes later!

“Mama! Mama! Mama!”

Zelda opened her eyes to several very excited children clambering over her. She sat up with a grimace.

“Ugh… How long was I asleep?” She asked of nobody in particular.

“ _Ages_ , Mama!”

She sat up properly, and looked out the window as the carriage bumped and jostled its way over the rough path. Ahead of them, she could see Ganondorf on his horse; he had refused to join them in the carriage for reasons known only to him and his ego.

Zelda smiled at her rambunctious children as they beamed up at her.

“Mama!” Safieta clambered over, pushing Ralon out of the way. “Are we nearly there yet?”

“I have no idea, Saffie.” She replied absently, busy picking up Ciery and righting her; the little girl had bounced right off the seat as the carriage drove over a particularly large stone. Still holding the three year old, she then checked on three-month-old Aela, who was sound asleep in a large reed basket; the perfect travelling cot.

Wanting to distract Safieta as she bounced around the carriage like a loose top, Zelda began unpacking snacks.

“Who’s hungry?” She asked, grinning as Saffie immediately held out her hands for the sweet buns. “Link?”

The little boy climbed off his seat and peered into the basket. “Do you have any of the strawberry ones?” He asked hopefully.

“I’m not sure.” Zelda dug through the basket, setting a blueberry one aside for herself, and giving a second honey one to Saffie, who was really quite hyperactive after so long couped up in such small quarters. Ralon took a berry bun, and Zelda helped Niruni, who was nearly two, eat her bun.

They were currently on their way to the Gerudo Valley for the first time, and Zelda was both excited and petrified. Excited, because she’d heard much of the valley in the six years she’d been married to Ganondorf Dragmire, King of the Gerudo, and petrified, because as his wife and Queen, she had a lot to live up to.

At least the children were enjoying themselves, she thought with a wry grin, giving Link his strawberry bun. Link had become something of their unofficial sixth child, even if he was the eldest. A young lad of ten, Link was a mischievous and energetic boy, and with his Triforce of Courage, he was forever exploring and getting into scrapes. He had joined the ranks of the twins Safieta and Ralon, Ciery, Niruni and baby Aela.

Silence filled the carriage as the children munched contentedly on their food, but Zelda knew it wouldn’t last for long.

At that moment, a shadow fell over them, and Zelda looked up to see her husband blocking the fierce sun that beat down through the open window.

“Hello.” She said. “What brings you here?”

Ganondorf chuckled, and Safieta threw herself forwards, leaning out the window.

“Papa!” She cried. “Are we there yet?”

Ganondorf grinned at his daughter. “Nope. It’ll be a few hours yet.”

Link shoved her out of the way. “Why is the valley so far?” He asked. Ralon pricked up his ears at that, and leaned forwards as well.

The Gerudo shrugged. “I don’t know.” He replied. “It just is.”

“It’s silly.” Ralon complained, and Zelda privately agreed with him. Ganondorf could have quite easily used his magic to transport all of them in less than thirty seconds, but the man had insisted on travelling overland, to see her get the full impact of the desert as it revealed itself to her for the first time. It would have been a lot more convenient to use magic, and certainly it would have been faster, but that’s not to say she wasn’t enjoying herself immensely. They’d been traveling for nearly two weeks, in a small convoy of carriages, and the sights had truly been breathtaking. Zelda had never seen the desert, and the mountains in Hyrule tended to be of the snowy variety, but the vast red dunes and craggy peaks of rock reaching to the sky like bony fingers took her breath away. Besides all that, Ganondorf was in his element. While the Hylian soldiers who were accompanying them complained every waking second about the heat (a gripe Zelda fully understood), the Gerudo King seemed invigorated by the dryness that soaked into your very pores.

At very long last, Ganondorf pulled up alongside the window once more, after all the children but for Ralon, who was reading a picture book, had fallen asleep. They had been travelling along the edge of the most massive ravine she’d ever seen; it must be hundreds of miles across in some places. “There. _Va Gérudo Alforf._ ” He said, pointing, and in the distance Zelda could see an immense stone fortress nestled against the cliffs. The stronghold had been built into the cliffside, and was surrounded by formidable walls. He correctly interpreted the look on her face.

“This was a river a few thousand years ago. Long gone by now, of course, and the fortress is one of the original camps of our people; it’s just been added to over the millennia.”

“It’s amazing.” She breathed. “I had no idea the ravine was so _big_.”

He smirked at her. “Wake the kids up.” He said. “Saffie will be furious if she doesn’t get to see.”

“Good point.”

Zelda woke Link first, who rushed to hang out the nearest window with eyes as wide as saucers, jabbering excitedly to Ganondorf while Ralon ran to the other window. Ciery and Niruni wedged themselves in next to their brother, and Saffie all but threw herself out the window in her haste to see, practically climbing on top of Link in the process.

As the fortress steadily grew closer, the children only got more excited. Zelda was too, despite herself. The fortress was built of deep dusky red stone, and was immensely, staggeringly tall. The main walls were surrounded by smaller buildings and walls, most of them housing livestock. The carriages were instantly mobbed by the Gerudo working outside the main walls, and Zelda watched as Ganondorf talked animatedly with them. All of a sudden, she was very glad she spoke Gerudo, and as she watched them, she couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated.

These women were fluid and loose limbed in their movements, bronzed skin gleaming in the sun, and they all seemed quite familiar with Ganondorf. However, these thoughts faded as the carriage rolled through the large gates, revealing wide sunny streets filled with Gerudo as they crowded around the carriage. Zelda could only stare, utter amazement washing through her. The carriage rolled to a stop, and Ganondorf dismounted, pausing to speak a few words to several Gerudo before he pulled the carriage door open. Saffie and Link nearly threw each other to the ground in their eagerness to get out. Ralon’s eyes were wide as saucers, and for a good minute he was unable to do more than stare. Zelda felt rather like following in his footsteps.

It was beautiful, startlingly so, and she couldn’t help but stare up around her as she took Ganondorf’s proffered hand, stepping out of the carriage to stand by his side, Niruni attached to her skirts and Aela in her arms, ignoring everyone for a moment as she looked around. The fortress rather resembled a large cube from the outside, but inside… it was a vast honeycomb of streets, with tall palm trees planted down the centre of each street, providing shade. Stained glass windows of the most fantastical colours and patterns graced the windows, and the doorways were hung with bright cloth. What Zelda couldn’t get over, however, was the sheer size of the place. The streets weren’t narrow and cramped like they were in Hyrule; it was huge in every way, shape and form. Instead of building a city around a castle, they’d built a city inside a castle.

“What do you think?”

Ganondorf sounded very pleased with her clearly amazed reaction.

“It’s beautiful.” She said honestly, looking down to adjust the loose cotton blanket wrapped around the sleeping baby. “I had no idea it was so… so…” She shook her head. “I can’t find words good enough to describe it.”

The Gerudo King grinned. “That’s quite a compliment.” He beckoned to Link, who was attempting to edge down the street to start exploring. “Come this way.”

Zelda made sure the five children were walking besides them as Ganondorf led her through the assembled Gerudo towards a large building surrounded by hardy tufts of wild sage.

Pushing through the bright cloth that served as a door, Ganondorf held the fabric open for her as she stepped through.

The first person she saw was Nabooru. The Gerudo woman moved forwards, beaming, and took Zelda’s free hand in both of hers. “Zelda.” She said warmly. “I’m so glad you’re here at last.”

“Indeed; this place is amazing. My only regret is that we didn’t come sooner.” Zelda replied earnestly.

Nabooru chuckled. “Thank you. Now, I know five of these small people, but who is this?”

Zelda grinned, offering her youngest child to the Gerudo warrior. “Her name is Aela, but I think you knew that already. She’s three months old now.”

Nabooru smiled at the still sleeping baby in her arms. “Three months? Already? I can’t believe it.”

She greeted each child in turn then; Link was almost too busy eyeing a large sword mounted on the wall to reply. Nabooru noticed his preoccupation and laughed.  
“I can see you, Link.” She said good-naturedly. “And let me tell you now, that sword is not for touching.”

He nodded. “Sorry, Nabooru.”

“This way, then.” She said, passing the baby back, and heading towards the back of the room, where Ganondorf was speaking to the Twinrova. Having greeted the Gerudo elders once more, Zelda stifled a frown; time had not yet eased their disapproval of her. What followed after that was a veritable whirlwind of introductions. She was taken out into what resembled a town square, yet they called it the centre instead. There, she met what seemed like every Gerudo the world had ever produced. Usually, she was very good with names and faces and endless introductions, but after a while, it started to blur together. The Gerudo were all fascinated with her children; they stared at Ralon, who as a Gerudo boy by rights ought not to exist while his father did, and they played endlessly with Saffie’s long blonde hair, for the little girl with fair yet Gerudo colouring and Hylian hair was an endless source of interest. Ciery was hoisted into the air by one woman after the other; her pale skin and coppery hair intrigued them just as much as her golden eyes. Runi was passed from woman to woman, and the Gerudo women were ecstatic to see the child was just as dark skinned as them, though her hair was more ginger than red, and her eyes were blue, which rather ruined the allusion somewhat. Even baby Aela was passed around, her dark red curls being the most commented on aspect of her.

Link was stared at and spoken to with unabashed curiosity; the small boy obviously had no Gerudo parentage at all, and yet, he travelled with their King and Queen, treated as though he were their own child. Zelda could almost hear their thoughts. In Gerudo society, it was no great evil to bear a child out of wedlock; indeed, nearly all women ended up doing that, but to her, someone who had been raised in Hylian society? It embarrassed intensely her to think they thought Link was her child from another man.

Tuning back into Ganondorf’s conversation, she was introduced to a woman of roughly middle age, who looked rather ferocious. This turned out to be Kunour; the seer. The woman promptly drew Zelda to the side, which in turn made the other Gerudo hang back slightly. It seemed Kunour was no one to cross.

“I am very pleased to meet you, Zelda.” She said plainly. An interesting quirk of the Gerudo is that the vast majority of them refused to use titles; though Ganondorf was their King, they all called him by his name, or a nickname. It was quite a strange feeling.

“I am very pleased to be here.” She replied. Zelda eyed the woman critically. She was dressed a very loose garment covered with glass beads that tinkled with every movement. Kunour certainly looked exactly what she’d picture as a seer resembling.

The woman eyed her in return, then nodded. “Things will be good.” She stated flatly, then turned on her heel and left, the crowd parting like a wave before her.

Zelda stared after her, confused; was that her normal manner of speaking, or had she found something lacking? Shaking her head slightly, she turned back to Ganondorf. He looked immensely pleased with himself as he held Ralon and pointed out different buildings to the boy.

What followed was that Nabooru and some others began shooing people away, citing the fact that after travelling for two weeks, the King and Queen (and their children) needed rest. There would, after all, be plenty of time for talking at the celebratory dinner being held that evening.

Ganondorf led the way to his chambers; these were a massive set of rooms that had housed the King (whoever it may be) for eons, and it was really quite comfortable. The main chamber was hung with many magnificent tapestries, the tall slashed windows letting light flood the room. Ganondorf had been right; despite the sweltering heat, the stone rooms retained a kind of coolness.

Gerudo furniture, it seemed, ran towards practicality rather than decoration, and while the large timber and stone constructions would be plain (and rather uncomfortable, with no visible upholstery) if left alone, they were draped in vividly wrought swathes of cloth and large round cushions roughly the size of a wagon wheel. Clearly, everything in this chamber had been made for Ganondorf; the furniture was all absolutely enormous.

Ganondorf had by this time put Ralon down, and ignoring his children for the moment, took her hand.

“Well?” He asked impatiently. “What do you think?”

Zelda grinned up at him. Truly, he seemed quite anxious that she would approve of things. 

“It’s amazing.” She said, sweeping a hand at the room at large. “Honestly, I don’t even know what to say. I thought the fortresses were old ruins! You lied to me.”

He laughed. “They _are_ ruins; but not in the sense that you think of. I suspect something has been lost in translation.” His gaze turned intense. “I am glad you like it.” He purred. “You’ll get the grand tour after tonight.”

“What is tonight, exactly?” Zelda frowned up at him, going over her clothing in her mind.

“It’s… it’s similar to a festival celebration, I suppose.” He said, attempting to come up with a decent explanation.

Zelda raised a brow. “…I was picturing something along the lines of a state dinner.”

Ganondorf tipped back his head and laughed, appraising his wife with an amused eye. Truly, she was so Hylian it hurt. “State dinner?” He smirked at her. “I don’t think so. For a start, there aren’t any actual tables.”

“What? How do you eat?”

“Standing up.” He savoured the look on her face.

“Standing up?” Zelda sounded confused. “But how on earth can one use cutlery while standing up?”

He took a moment, enjoying the confusion in her eyes. “We eat most things with our fingers.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I can’t eat with my fingers. It isn’t proper.”

Ganondorf raised a brow. “I hope you’re not insulting my culture, Zelda.”

She looked startled. “Oh, no, that’s not what I meant at all.” She paused. “I’ve never eaten with my fingers in my life.”

He frowned at her. “Yes you have.”

She waved that aside. “Fruit, cakes, biscuits… those aren’t meals, they don’t count.”

Ganondorf grinned at her. “I dare say you’ll get used to it.”

Zelda looked sceptical. “All right.” She said. “I’ll try it.” Nodding, she turned towards the pile of luggage. “I’m going to hunt out a suitable gown.”

He nodded. “I’m going to change now, and I’d advise you to do the same.” He paused. “Zelda?”  
“Yes?”

“Only wear a corset if you want to pass out.”

Leaving her frowning to herself, he went in search of his clothing. He might have accused the princess of being the one who was sweating earlier, but he had to admit he too was feeling distinctly warm in his armour.

Zelda bit her lip as she stared at the assortment of clothing spread over the bed, wondering which one to choose. Though she’d packed only her light gowns, there was no denying that a light gown in Hyrule was not a light gown in the Gerudo Valley.

Eventually, she ended up with a dress of light lawn that had cap sleeves instead of full length ones, and, while she felt rather under dressed without her corset, she couldn’t deny that it was a lot cooler than the gown she had arrived in.

At that moment, the Gerudo King in question emerged from the bathing chambers, and she felt a small smile appear on her face at the sight. When in Hyrule, Ganondorf wore two types of outfit; his armour, and casual robes. Well, what he wore now was casual all right.

“You don’t mean to go out in public like that?” She inquired, frowning as Ganondorf chuckled, crossing the room to grab her hips and pull her into him hard and made a vague noise in reply to her question.

Ganondorf was wearing very little compared to his usual armour or robes. He wore loose trousers, of course, and boots, but he wore nothing else but an elaborate sash and strange woven bands that stretched tautly around his biceps, matching the vambraces at his wrists. She had to admit, the effect was far from unattractive.

“What are these?” She inquired, running a hand over one of the bands. He shrugged, muscle rippling beneath her touch.

“Just… decoration, I suppose.”

She smiled. “I like them.”

At that moment, Zelda realised the place was suspiciously absent of small children, save for Aela, who was back in her reed basket.

“Ganondorf.” She asked, raising a brow at him. “Where are the children?”  
He shrugged, and she raised the other brow to match. “Excuse you?”

He motioned outside. “I sent them off to explore.” Seeing her expression, he rolled his eyes. “They’ll be fine, Zelda. Stop worrying.”

Ganondorf held out his hand then. “Of course, if you want to come and find them…?”

She sighed irritably. “Fine.” Sliding her fingers into his, Zelda let him pull her forwards, expecting him to lead her towards the door. Instead, Ganondorf tugged her so she ended up off balance, crashing into him with an _oof_ , before he scooped her up, his hands under her backside. He kissed her then, a growl low in his throat. Zelda slid her arms around his neck, as his hand tangled into her hair, nipping her lower lip lightly. She opened to him with a gasp, and Ganondorf immediately deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. He slid a hand up her thigh then, pushing her skirts higher. Just before he reached his prize, she pulled back.

“Oh no you don’t.” She said with a laugh. “You have to show me around before _any_ of that.”

Ganondorf looked quite put out as he lowered her back to her feet. “Fine.” He grumbled.

“What’s the matter? I thought you wanted to show me around?” Zelda teased.

He frowned. “I do.”

“Then lets go.” Zelda hid her grin by picking up Aela and checking on her; after a moments consideration she removed all but the very lightest layer of clothing on the child. The valley really was ridiculously hot. At least it was cooler in the shade of the stone buildings, but not by much. Ganondorf slid an arm about her waist and pulled her closer for a moment, then let her go, leading the way to the door.


	2. Dumplings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ganondorf teaches Zelda to cook.

Zelda had been in the valley for a week now, and she was pretty sure she’d seen all there was to see. Ganondorf had spent the first few days dragging her around to every notable spot within the fortress. The moment they stepped outside it was like entering an oven; it was swelteringly hot. It got warm in Hyrule, true enough, but this heat was dry, achingly so. The relentless sun beat down on them from above, and Zelda could see why the Gerudo wanted plenty of timber imported. Stretching high above them, spanning the gaps of the streets were large rafters, hung with brightly coloured cloth to shield them from the sun. They were spaced so that every few metres bright patches of sunlight filtered down. Combined with the palm trees, the effect was rather like being inside the brightest, hottest indoor garden ever created. She liked it immensely.

Ganondorf led her through the streets, though where they were headed, she wasn’t sure. It was really quite amazing, really, how much the Gerudo way of life differed from what she’d read in her books. Ganondorf had nearly burst a blood vessel when she’d mentioned that to him, for he’d instantly sat her down and explained, in quite a heated fashion, that the prosperity of the moment was due in part to the fact that the Gerudo had been in steady alliance with Hyrule, Holodrum and Labrynna for the past five years; before that, the streets hadn’t been nearly so cheerful, nor food and supplies so plentiful. Zelda had decided from then on in that if she was going to remark on the fortress, it would be about purely aesthetic observations.

They soon arrived at a large building that had a steady stream of Gerudo entering and exiting carrying bags and crates.

“What’s this?” Zelda asked curiously, and Ganondorf smirked.

“We’re going shopping.”

“Shopping? Shopping for what?”

“Food.”

With that that, he steered her in the door. They were standing inside a massive storeroom filled with bags of grain, flour, dried meats, spices and basic vegetables – the staples of Gerudo cuisine.

“Why are we getting it?” Asked Zelda suspiciously. “Surely that’s not your job-”

Ganondorf surprised her when he laughed. “Of course its my job.” He turned an evil grin down onto her, and she narrowed her eyes. “You see, while the festivities have been on, we haven’t needed to prepare our own food, but now they are over… you need to learn to cook.”

Zelda glowered at him, disliking the tone of glee in his voice. “I don’t see why we have to. Aren’t there-”

“Lets get one thing straight.” Ganondorf interrupted, still looking very amused. “There are no class differences here like there are in Hyrule. There is no ruling class, and therefore, there’s no working class. We have no servants – we cook and clean and fend for ourselves.”

Zelda breathed in deeply and held it for a moment. “So.” She said, expelling her breath in a rush. “Are you expecting me to cook, and for it to be _edible?”_

He laughed again as he cast his eye over a barrel full of some kind of dried meat.

“No, _I_ will cook, but I expect you to help. I think I can teach you not to burn water, at least.”

Zelda wrinkled her nose. “I resent that. Just because I’ve never done it doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll be terrible at it.”

“True.” Ganondorf moved along to a large bench at which a Gerudo woman was watching him expectantly.

Zelda watched him request items with practised ease, and then he turned and dumped a sack into her arms.

“Oof!”

It only made him laugh as he hefted his own sack over his shoulder and led her out the door.

“So what are we making?” Asked Zelda, scurrying along in order to keep up with Ganondorf’s large strides.

He simply shrugged. “Whatever comes to mind, I guess.” He speared her with a thoughtful look. “Though I suppose we’ll start with something simple tonight.”

Once it was time to prepare the evening meal, Zelda stared doubtfully at the food they’d collected, then at her husband. “Are you sure?”

“Come on.” He said, sliding a hand to the small of her back. “You’ll be fine. Time to turn you into a world-class cook.”

Zelda snickered slightly and allowed him to lace her into an apron similar to the one he was wearing. Ganondorf then motioned at the children to come over. “You lot can help too.” He said, then gave a bag of flour to Link and Saffie. “Here, you two pour a cup of this into three of those bowls.”

Ganondorf delegated tasks to the rest of the children, then turned to her. “Now.” He said, a gleam in his eye. “Have you ever cut meat before?”

Zelda wordlessly shook her head, and then, a smirk on his lips, Ganondorf turned her around and pulled her back against him as he picked up a knife. He was tall enough that he could see perfectly over her head… meaning he could press himself against her… _all_ of him. What she could feel subtly grinding against her backside was decidedly inappropriate considering how many children were in the room.

“I thought we were supposed to be cooking.” She murmured, tipping her head back to see his reaction as the Gerudo King snickered.

“We are.” He said, but then rocked his hips into her briefly, making her roll her eyes.

“What are we making, Papa?” Ciery toddled over and tried to pull a knife off the bench; Zelda grabbed it just in time.

“We are making a kind of dumpling.”

“What’s a dump-ing?”

Zelda grinned as Ganondorf chuckled. “It’s a kind of pocket filled with meat and vegetables.”

Ciery wrinkled her nose. “Are we eating clothes? That’s silly, Papa.”

This time they both laughed. “No, the pockets are made of dough, not clothes.” Ganondorf explained.

Satisfied, Ciery went back to where Saffie, Link and Ralon were attempting to make the dough, and then he slid the knife into Zelda’s hand. Taking her hands in his, he showed her how to hold the blade properly, how to identify and cut the meat according to the grain, and how to dice swiftly and cleanly, without chopping any of her fingers off. Next, he showed her how to make the sauce while Niruni sat on the bench and helped dump various spices in. It was quite lucky, Zelda thought, that the children had all seemingly inherited Ganondorf’s taste for spice, but that didn’t explain how she was going to eat it.

“How hot will this be?” She asked, frowning up at him. Ganondorf still had her tucked against his chest while they cooked, and she found she rather liked it; it was like being inside a warm cage of muscular man as he leaned against her to work.

“Not very.” He said, tasting the sauce.

“Hmm.” Zelda narrowed her eyes. “My definition of ‘not very’ and your definition are two _very_ different things, remember that.”

He nodded. “Perhaps we should make a few plain dumplings for you.”

She sighed in relief. “Thanks.”

Once the sauce was bubbling away in a large pot on the fire, Ganondorf made them all sit in a large circle on the ground, with the meat, legumes, peeled and diced vegetables, and yet more spices in bowls.

“Right.” He said, then picked up a small round piece of dough. “Here’s how you make a dumpling.” Ganondorf demonstrated how he got small amounts of all the ingredients, combined them in his palm, then tucked them into the rolled dough to make a small squashed sort of ball. “That’s one dumpling.” He said, placing it on a large empty platter. “Everyone gets to make their own, and then we’ll cook them in the sauce.”

Zelda grinned as she made her own private dumplings sans spice; the children were all having a ball as they mixed things up and got flour everywhere, making their own food. It was a novel experience, but she had to admit it was quite fun. Part of her felt very strange indeed at the idea of her making her own food – if they were back at Hyrule, this would never happen, but she was glad it was, really.

Once the dumplings were prepared, Ganondorf dropped them all into the sauce for cooking, and then came the less fun part; cleaning up. He wouldn’t let her use her magic, much to the dismay of the children – manual labour was the ticket.

“By the time we’re finished, dinner will be ready, so stop complaining.” He said for the millionth time as Saffie pretended to be exhausted enough to fall asleep in the flour she was supposed to be helping to wipe up. The little girl sighed theatrically and turned to her mother for help, and once Ganondorf’s back was turned, Zelda discretely summoned her magic and sent all the mess on the bench flying into the scrap bucket – normally, she insisted upon the children not relying on servants or magic while Ganondorf helped them cheat, but she, not being used to this kind of thing, was already rather sick of it.

Ganondorf turned around once more, having saved Niruni from falling off her chair to find Saffie and Link standing before a spotless bench.

“See?” He said, ruffling Link’s hair. “Its not so bad once you get down and actually do it.”

He wondered why they were smiling so much.

“Papa!” Shouted Ciery. “Dinner is burning!”

Turning his head so fast he cricked his neck, Ganondorf realised she was right and dove for the fire pit; the sauce was smoking and bubbling over the sides of the pot. Pulling it off the heat, he cursed at the scalding metal as it burned his hands. Swearing in a vicious yet muffled tone, he quickly set the pot on the floor then examined his hands; the heat was intense enough to have blisters forming already. Ganondorf swore and crossed the room to dunk his hands in the dishwater, sighing as the cool liquid eased a little of the pain.

Zelda came towards him, a concerned look on her face, and she tugged his wrist lightly. “Here, let me.” She said, and Ganondorf gave her one hand. The children crowded around, watching with wide eyes as Zelda lightly traced her fingers over the welts on his palm, the skin glowing golden as the blisters receded and the redness faded before his eyes, taking the pain with it. Zelda swiftly healed his other hand, and he grinned sheepishly for a moment then pulled her towards him.

“Dinner is served.” He announced, to the general jubilation of the children, and once everyone was sitting around the pot with a bowl, he and Zelda served portions with some rice to everyone, then served themselves. Ganondorf watched Zelda eating her plain dumplings and snorted; he was very proud of the fact all his children had inherited Gerudo tastes – Hylian food was bland and miserable, and he was glad he didn’t have to serve it here. Well, mostly. Link took an enormous bite of his dumpling, and immediately turned bright red, coughing and wheezing over the spice in his throat.

“Oh dear!” Cried Zelda, and with a swoosh of her hand, a tall glass of milk appeared from nowhere and zoomed into Link’s grasp; he chugged the lot, getting a fair bit of it down his shirt in the process.

“You all right?” Ganondorf asked when the little boy emerged from his glass; Link nodded, eyeing the rest of his plate with trepidation.

“Hot!” He said petulantly.

“Come and sit with me, Link.” Zelda said, patting the space on her other side. “You can share with me; mine isn’t hot.”

Link happily scurried around to sit with her. “Thanks Zelda!” He said, munching away on a plain dumpling.

Dinner was an uneventful affair after that, and by the time Ganondorf had made everyone help him wash the dishes while Zelda fed Aela (causing Saffie to go on strike and protest the fact that they had to clean while their mama didn’t, which of course incited revolution in the rest of the children), it was time for bed. He carried Niruni and Ciery, while Link, Saffie and Ralon ran ahead, Zelda bringing up the rear with Aela.

The children’s bedroom consisted of four beds and a cot, in which Niruni slept; the room had formerly been a storeroom of sorts, but Ganondorf had sent word ahead for Nabooru to have it cleared out and filled with beds instead. The lack of any wardrobes in the room meant the children’s cases were simply shoved against one wall, clothes and shoes spread across the floor, a fact which drove Zelda up the wall on a daily basis.

Saffie grabbed Ralon’s hand and started bouncing on her mattress, until a sharp look from her mother quelled her.

“That’s enough.” Said Zelda firmly. “It’s bedtime.”

Saffie folded her arms and flopped dramatically onto her bed. “You’re no fun, Mama.”

Ganondorf looked over to see Zelda’s lips twitching as she tried to conceal her grin. “Fun is for daytime only, Saff.”

Ralon sat up and held out his hands. “Papa?”

Sitting down on the end of Ralon’s bed, he scooped the little boy into his arms, feeling again that burst of pride that hit him whenever he thought of his son. _I fathered a son,_ he thought, then grinned at the boy. It never failed to amaze him.

“Goodnight, Ralon.” He said as the little boy smiled widely, his long red curls bouncing over his shoulders.

“Night Papa!” Ralon hugged him tightly, and then Ganondorf found himself ambushed by Saffie, Ciery, Link and Niruni. He caught Niruni before the little girl fell off the bed, and then said goodnight to each child in turn, then passed them one by one to Zelda, who had come to sit besides him, before they climbed into bed.

“Goodnight, everyone.” Said Zelda as she paused in the door. Every child was tucked in his or her bed, and Ganondorf was already out the door, tugging her hand to hurry her.

“Goodnight, Mama.” Chimed sleepy voices in unison, and she allowed herself to be swept out the door and into Ganondorf’s arms. He gave her a decidedly lecherous grin.

“Well, madam.” He said. “Time for bed?”

Ganondorf grinned at his wife. Despite the slight mishap with the burning pot and forgetting Link was too Hylian to handle the spice, the night had been a roaring success. Now the only thing that would make it better was whisking Zelda off to his bedchambers and bedding her thoroughly. So, it came as a shock (and a fair bit of dismay) when she shook her head.

“What? Why not?” He asked with a frown.

“Don’t be absurd. It’s far too hot for that.” She said.

“But Zelda.” He hastened to point out. “You’ve said that everyday for the past week.”

She nodded. “And I dare say I will continue to say that until a cool change comes.”

Ganondorf rolled his eyes. “I hate to tell you, but that will most probably be never.”

“Then you’ll wait until we get back to Hyrule.” She snapped, passing a hand over her forehead to wipe away the sweat. “I’m having enough trouble sleeping here as it is.”

Watching Zelda turn and walk away down the corridor, he scowled intently at her retreating back then followed her. True to her word, she did nothing more in bed then kiss his cheek before she rolled over and closed her eyes. Ganondorf lay there and sulked.


	3. From Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ganondorf takes Zelda, Link, Saffie and Ciery to an oasis in the desert, only to find themselves being attacked by the monsters that live in the dunes.

Ganondorf was in an excellent mood as he led Zelda through the fortress. Everywhere he looked, he could see happy, content Gerudo, and to know that the newfound prosperity of his people was his own doing filled him with such pride he thought he might burst. He was taking Zelda to the stables, where he planned to take her to the eternal oasis. He could picture her sitting on a rock besides the still water, dipping dainty toes in. More than that, he wanted to see her reaction to it; Hyrule had lakes and rivers a plenty, but they did not have oasis’s, and the beauty of Hylian waterways could not compare with that of Gerudo ones.

They arrived at the stables to find their horses already saddled and ready to go; he’d sent a message this morning, and he was pleased to find the stable workers were as punctual as ever. Ganondorf helped Zelda mount her horse after an intense and long-winded discussion on the merits of riding side saddle (all the Gerudo were befuddled by Zelda’s curious equipage and her refusal to wear pants), and then he heard someone call his name, or rather, his children’s version of it.

“Papa!”

He turned to see Saffie pushing her way through the hay bales, towing Link by the tunic; he looked completely befuddled. Behind them toddled Ciery, who looked a little upset.

“Papa I want to go!” Demanded Saffie, and he chuckled slightly. While he had wanted to get Zelda alone, he did want his children to absorb as much Gerudo life as possible.

“Very well, little scamp.” He nodded and held a hand.

“Where’s Runi, Ralon and Aela?” Asked Zelda sharply, frowning at her daughter. Ganondorf waited expectantly for Saffie’s answer.

“They’re with Nabooru still.” She said, and Zelda nodded, looking relieved.

Ganondorf mounted his stallion, then leaned down from the saddle and scooped up Saffie, then Link. Glancing around, he couldn’t see Ciery, so he turned back only to find one of the Gerudo who worked in the stables had picked her up and passed her to Zelda. He paused to watch Zelda cuddle their daughter for a moment, and then he nodded at everyone in the stables and kicked his horse forwards. Zelda soon caught up, and they turned out the main gates.

“So where is the oasis?” Zelda asked, and he pointed into the distance.

“It’s near the Spirit Temple, or what’s left of it, anyway. Roughly six kilometre’s to the East.”

“Ah.”

They talked of many things while they rode, and time passed relatively quickly, with them all arriving at the oasis a little before lunch.

Zelda found herself absolutely staggered by the beauty of the place. It was bare and dry all around, but in this small pocket tucked away in the red dunes plant life grew green and lush around a picturesque oasis. The cool water was heavenly on her toes as she sat on a rock beside it, showing Ciery the leaves of a small bush as Link and Saffie charged headlong into the pool, getting their clothes completely soaked. Ganondorf came over from where he’d been tying the horses up and sat down beside her, slinging an arm about her waist.

“What do you think?”

Zelda laughed slightly as she leaned against his chest, and Ciery got up to investigate another bush; the desert plants were so different to what was found in Hyrule.

“One of these days, I’m going to say it’s terrible just to see what you do.” She snickered.

Ganondorf’s chuckle rumbled through his chest. “You try it and see how far you get.”

“It’s lovely, like always.” Zelda said, touching his hand. Saffie was now attempting to push Link underwater; his hat was floating steadily into the centre of the oasis. “I dare say you’re going to have to rescue that hat.”

He merely grinned. “Link can swim.”

“Not if Saffie drowns him first.”

“True.”

Ganondorf leaned down then to murmur in her ear. “I didn’t intend for the kids to be here; I was going to see what you taste like under the sun.”

She turned purple and poked him in the chest. “Ganondorf! Don’t say that near the children!” She hissed. He captured her fingers and laughed.

“They wouldn’t understand, even if they did hear it.”

One suspicious blonde head popped up out of the water. “Understand what, Papa?”

“ _Hah!_ ” Mumbled Zelda under her breath. “Go on, explain that.”

“Well its very simple, Saffie. Your mama is _very_ sweet, and I plan-”

Zelda biffed him over the head with her hat. “What. Are You. _Doing?”_ She yelped, punctuating each word with a blow to the head.

Ganondorf laughed and leaned back, and then they both lost their balance (because Zelda was still trying to whack him) and fell off the rock, rolling onto the sand.

“It’s very simple Zelda.” He chuckled. “I’m telling Saffie that her mama – _oof!_ ”

At that moment, Zelda had shoved her hat into his mouth, making the children laugh hysterically.

Ganondorf spat out the hat and put on his most injured looking face, holding his arm just a little more firmly around Zelda’s waist as she lay on top of him. Turning his head slightly, he made sure the children weren’t in earshot when he smirked and whispered his next words.

“There’s something I can picture being in someone’s mouth, but it’s not my mouth and it isn’t that hat.”

Zelda flushed pink and smiled wickedly, leaning in to tug at his earlobe lightly, making his breath hiss between his teeth.

“As soon as the children are out of the way…” She murmured, promise clear in her tone.

“Tease.” He whispered back, and she laughed lightly and kissed him quickly.

“Mama!”

They both looked up to find Saffie standing beside them, imperious hands on her hips.

“Stop giving Papa kissies!” The little girl demanded. “Papa, make Mama go swimming, she never does anything fun!”

Ganondorf smirked up at a suddenly very alarmed looking Zelda, and stood, taking her with him.

“Ganondorf do _not_.” She started, clutching at him with both hands as he walked purposefully towards the water. “Don’t even think about it, I don’t want to get wet, do _not_ throw me, I’m-”

Her words were cut off with a scream as she disappeared into the centre of the oasis where he’d thrown her. Saffie shrieked in delight and charged into the water after her mama, meeting up with Link, who hadn’t got out in the first place.

Ganondorf walked around to where Ciery was splashing in the shallows and waved cheerily at Zelda from where she was fuming and glaring from the water.

“Papa it’s your turn!” Yelled Saffie, but he shook his head.

“I don’t swim, Saff.” He said, giving the water a look of distaste.

A dripping Zelda emerged from the oasis wearing a very devious look. “I think we should _make_ Papa go swimming, hey Saffie? Link?”

“Yeah!” Shouted Saffie, and then Link charged out of the water to seize his hand.

“Come on Ganondorf!” He said, tugging hard, and Saffie joined in by grabbing his other hand.

“Papa! Come on!”

Ganondorf frowned at the water, then at Zelda. “Ugh fine.” He grumbled, walking in and catching Zelda about the waist as he went. Saffie and Link laughed hysterically as he dumped her in the water and sank down himself, grinning as Zelda came up spluttering.

Zelda frowned at Ganondorf and then laughed as Saffie and Link pounced on him. She turned to see Ciery watching from the shore, and she held out her hands.

“Ciery! Come on pumpkin.”

The little girl giggled and ran forwards, splashing her way into the water. It was a little deep, and Zelda quickly moved forwards to grab her before Ciery went underwater completely. Settling the little girl onto her lap, Zelda smiled at Ganondorf, who was having a time trying to stop Saffie and Link climbing all over him.

“Having fun?” She murmured in Ciery’s ear, and the little girl giggled and splashed the water happily. Unlike Saffie, Ciery was growing all the more ladylike the older she got, now reluctant to get herself dirty. Ciery delighted in pretty dresses and pretty things, and her section of the nursery was fluffy, sparkly and bright, full of tulle, silk and feathers. Even her favourite blanket, the one she refused to sleep without, was soft wool topped with rich cream silk and lavishly embroidered. Zelda had embroidered it herself during her confinement, and Ciery was besotted with the elaborate embroidery; she wanted to learn how to do it herself. Zelda had taught her the basic stitches, and whenever she herself was sitting and embroidering in a quiet moment, she could count on Ciery to toddle over and make her own rough patterns.

Clearly, since Zelda was in the water, Ciery had deemed it acceptable for her to swim as well. Zelda smiled at Saffie as she pounced on her father, scrambling up to sit on Ganondorf’s shoulder. Link was currently underwater, bringing up small stones for careful examination then attempting to skip them across the water. They spent roughly an hour in the water, and once Zelda decided she was pruny enough, she got out and lay down on a rock to dry.

Ciery followed immediately, and Ganondorf eventually had to drag Saffie and Link out by their collars. In the heat, it didn’t take long to dry at all, and very soon, she turned to look at her husband.

“Time to go, I think. Aela will need feeding shortly.” She said, squinting at sun to determine the time.

“No Mama!” Said Saffie with a look a steely determination, and she sat down and crossed her arms and legs obstinately. “Not yet!”

Ganondorf merely rolled his eyes and picked her up. Zelda grinned and picked up Ciery, and the little girl started plaiting her hair – or trying to.

“Come on, rabbit.” Zelda said, holding out a hand to Link, who took it, and they set off towards to where the horses were tied. Immediately, there was some confusion, for there was only one horse there.

“Where’s my…?” Asked Zelda confusedly, and then she turned around to see if the beast had pulled free and wandered off.

Ganondorf scowled and tensed in sudden suspicion; Zelda evidently thought her horse had escaped, but… his stallion was tense and nervous, showing the whites of his eyes. Stiffening, he looked about slowly, searching for the signs… by rights, it ought to be impossible, they never came so close to the temple…

He swiftly untied the horse and looped the reins around its neck, and a bloody good thing it was too, for at that moment, the earth exploded around them. His stallion took off with a terrified scream across the dunes, and Ganondorf grabbed Link and hoisted him into the air.

“Zelda!” He roared in panic as he realised she’d wandered away from him. Ganondorf summoned his blades and lurched forwards, towards the four massive Geldarms encircling Zelda. Saffie was attached to her mother’s skirts, and Ciery was in her mother’s arms, screaming hysterically. He saw the fear in Zelda’s face become replaced with ferocious determination, and she raised a hand that glowed with magic.

Relief washed through him for a second - Zelda was perfectly capable of shielding herself and the two children – but then she didn’t see the Geldarm that erupted out of the ground behind her. A wordless yell left his mouth as Zelda turned but wasn’t fast enough; the Geldarm ploughed into her, knocking all three of them over. Ciery went tumbling out of her mother’s arms and down the side of the dune, screaming all the way, and Zelda scrambled towards Saffie, who was closer. Ganondorf used his magic and blinked to her side, only to become distracted by another Geldarm. He cut off its head and beheld the massive body thudding to the ground, only to have to dodge as another Geldarm lunged over his head and seized Zelda around the waist.

Ganondorf saw the glow of her magic, but then the creature swung her around and her head impacted on the armoured plating of the beast; her body instantly went limp, and he knew she’d either been knocked out… or her neck had been broken. Stopping that thought in its tracks, he attempted to get to his wife; Saffie had been in Zelda’s arms, and was screaming hysterically as she tried to wake her mother within the grip of the Geldarm.

Before he could, two Geldarms dove down, effortlessly digging a tunnel into which the Geldarm carrying his wife and child vanished. Ganondorf was about to follow it when another thought made his blood run cold.

 _“Cissy!”_ He bellowed, and got an answering scream as he reached the side of the dune and looked down to see his little girl running from the Geldarm bearing down on her. He warped to her side but the Geldarm crashed right into him before he could grab his daughter, taking hold of Ciery in its pincers and disappearing into a tunnel; the creatures could practically swim through sand, and they could easily outstrip a man.

Ganondorf swore viciously, then pulled Link from his back where he still clung around to look at him. “We’re going in there, Link.” He said seriously. “You must do exactly as I say.”

The boy nodded solemnly, his face pale but determined. “I will.” He said.

Ganondorf set him on his feet. “Good lad. Stay close.”

At Link’s nod, they turned and made their way into the tunnel, hoping against hope that the rest of their family was still alive.

 

* * *

Zelda awoke to a viciously aching head and a very upset little girl peering down at her. 

"Saffie?” She mumbled, and Saffie latched onto her neck, sniffling hard as she tried to stifle her tears.

“Mama! You’ve been asleep for ages.” Saffie’s face crumpled. “I thought you wouldn’t wake up.”

“Oh, pumpkin.” Zelda hugged her daughter tightly, then looked around. They were stashed in what appeared to be a deep hole – bizarrely, a hole that was underground.

“Saff? Where are we?”

Saffie sniffed and wiped her eyes. “The monster worms carried us into the sand and dropped us in here.”

Zelda was unable to think straight with her head hurting like this; she summoned her magic and gritted her teeth as she pressed her hand to her head and took most of the pain away. With her head somewhat cleared, she was able to focus on Saffie’s words and look around.

“Where’s Papa?” She asked, then realised she was missing two children. “And Link and Ciery?”

Saffie shrugged. “I don’t know. I could see Papa when the worms went in the sand, but then I couldn’t see him anymore.”

Zelda nodded. “Right, come on. We have to get out of here before the Geldarms come back.” She stood up slowly and scooped Saffie into her arms, giving her daughter a brief kiss on the forehead as she listened intently for movement; there wasn’t any. Zelda called her magic again, and they floated up and up, over the rim of the hole. Taking a moment to assess where they were, Zelda frowned. They were in a long tunnel, and there was no indication which direction led to the surface.

“Okay.” She said slowly. “Lets go… this way.”

She didn’t bother walking, simply floated along, holding Saffie tightly and worrying every second about Ganondorf, Ciery and Link. Saffie was quiet, her usual exuberance dampened by the danger, and they didn’t speak much, only making an occasional quiet comment to remind the little girl that they would get out safely. After a few minutes, they rounded a corner only to come face to face with a Geldarm – the creature looked just as surprised to see them as they were to see it. Saffie shrieked in terror as the beast lunged, but Zelda was faster this time, and she flicked her hand up and brought the beast down, held fast with light chains then impaled through the head with a golden spike. They got out of there quickly.

Eventually, after many twists and turns, and the occasional dead end, they came to a large junction with eight different tunnels branching out from it. Zelda paused in the entrance to the tunnel she and Saffie had just emerged from and bit her lip; where to from here?

She heard a faint noise coming from the other side of the tunnel, and was just turning her head when Saffie shrieked “Papa!”

In the next second, Zelda found herself swept up in an enormous bear hug as Ganondorf lifted her from the ground. She twined her arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as she could, relishing the feel of his arms around her.

“Zelda.” Ganondorf breathed, relief evident in his tone. “You’re safe, thank the Goddess. And Saffie too. But where’s Ciery? Don’t you have her?”

Zelda choked and pulled back. “What do you mean _‘where’s Ciery?’_ Isn’t she with you?” A quick inspection revealed that only Link and Saffie were present; pure horror washed through her.

“The Geldarms?” She whispered, and pain flashed across Ganondorf’s face, followed swiftly by anger.

“Apparently so. I hoped she’d have been taken where you were taken.”

Zelda shook her head helplessly. “No, I was unconscious until just a little while ago.” She turned to Saffie, who was rather squished in between them, but looked happy to be there. “Saff, when we were carried down here, did you see Ciery?”

Saffie shook her head, looking upset, and Zelda turned back to Ganondorf, dread settling into her bones. “We have to find her.” She whispered, and he nodded and lowered her to the ground.

“You take Link and Saffie, go back to the fortress.” He said. “I’ll find her.”

Zelda’s mouth dropped open. “ _What?”_ She poked Ganondorf in the chest furiously. “If you think I’m going to just leave my daughter here you’ve got another thing coming.”

He nodded and touched her cheek. “You’re sure? You know we may not… find her.”

Zelda nodded furiously. “I’m coming.” She managed, her voice breaking on the second word. What if the worst had happened? She didn’t think she could stand finding her little girl eaten by the Geldarms, but… not knowing would surely be worse.

Zelda used her magic to create a floating shield that scooped up Saffie and Link; the bubble would float along behind her, and she could rest a little easier knowing that the two children couldn’t be harmed.

She then attempted to call Ciery with her magic.

_*Ciery?*_

There was a long pause, but finally a reply came. _*Mama?*_

_*Ciery, darling, hold on. We’re coming*_

_*Scary!*_

_*I know, sweetie, I know. Are you on your own?*_

_*Worms!*_

_*Stay there pumpkin, Papa and I are coming*_

Zelda grabbed Ganondorf’s hand, using her magic to sense where Ciery was, and then she started towing him along towards one of the tunnels.

“She’s all right at the moment.” She whispered. “This way. She’s this way.”

Ganondorf mumbled something under his breath and hoisted his sword a little higher.

“You spoke to her. What did she say?” He whispered back as they moved swiftly down the tunnel.

“She’s scared.”

Ganondorf squeezed her fingers briefly, and then they rounded a corner and almost ran straight into another Geldarm. This time the fight was brief; Ganondorf barely gave the creature a second to react before he skewered it straight through the head. They moved carefully around its body and kept going.

“What’s even happening?” She hissed. “I thought Geldarm were solitary beasts.”

“They are.” Ganondorf hissed back. “But they come together once a year for mating and hunt in packs. The males collect live prey to impress the females. That’s why you weren’t eaten immediately.”

A shiver ran over her skin. “Well, I’m glad of that.”

“Mmm. Which way now?” They’d come to a junction.

Zelda considered, honing in on her daughter.

_*Ciery?*_

_*Mama!*_

_*I’m coming, baby*_

“This way.” She said, pulling him with her, Link and Saffie floating along behind her in their sphere. The tunnel opened into a massive cavern, and both Zelda and Ganondorf froze at the sight. The place was filled with Geldarms, over twenty of them, and most were sort of arranged around the edges, while a single large beast performed something in the centre, something Ganondorf would later tell her was a mating ritual to entice a female over. His prize was Ciery, who was crumpled and sobbing at his feet.

Ganondorf snarled viciously as the Geldarms all swung round to stare at them while Zelda clutched at his arm for a moment, and then the frenzy started.

“Wait, Zelda!-”

He swore as Zelda threw herself forwards, desperate to get to her baby, ignoring his shouted warning as the Geldarm closest to them lunged, clearly perceiving him as the largest threat. Any other time, he’d have been flattered, but now, with the lives of his wife and child in real danger, he was merely furious he couldn’t get to Ciery as fast. He cut off the head of one Geldarm and blasted another one out of this life, then swung around to check Link and Saffie; they were still safe, pressed wide-eyed against the wall of their bubble in the mouth of the tunnel. As for Zelda, she was weaving her way across the cavern, dodging the beasts with her magic. One leapt into her path and hissed, opening its pincers menacingly. Ganondorf could only watch as it lunged for her, but she called her magic; golden chains formed around the beast and pulled it to the floor, and she ran past. Ciery had evidently realised what was happening and was running to meet her, little hands outstretched, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Before they reached each other, however, the male Geldarm that had been using Ciery in his mating ritual lunged forwards and snapped the toddler up in its pincers, then scuttled off towards the back of the cave to protect his prize. Ganondorf heard Zelda’s anguished scream over his own muffled curse, and then he began a serious attempt to fight his way into the centre of the cave, towards his wife. It soon became clear, however, that Zelda had given into the rage of a mother whose child had been taken from her; she had risen into the air, glowing golden as she waved a hand and snapped the neck of one beast that lunged at her before zooming towards the one that held their daughter.

Satisfied that Zelda would reach Ciery, Ganondorf occupied himself with slaughtering the other creatures, determined that none of the hideous beasts that had dared take his wife and two children would live to see the sunset. He had killed three more Geldarm by the time he saw Zelda reach the one that held Ciery; he watched in no short amount of awe as she hovered before it, clearly challenging it.

The Geldarm rose up and challenged her back, and in the midst of slicing a Geldarm in two, Ganondorf saw Zelda summon her light arrows; he flinched involuntarily when he saw the weapon, but inwardly cheered as the arrow found its mark in the beasts eye socket. The Geldarm reared back, screeching, and in its pain, it dropped Ciery. He swore viciously as the little girl plummeted towards the floor, the Geldarm lunging and hitting her, but it didn’t catch her; Zelda did.

He instantly warped to her side, piercing the soft underbelly of the Geldarm that had been holding Ciery, and sliced upwards, gutting the creature. Its corpse thudded to the ground, already forgotten, and he allowed himself a second to kneel beside his wife, touching Ciery briefly and reassuring himself that she was unharmed before he stood and launched himself back into the fray, determined to end every single remaining beast.

Zelda hugged her daughter tightly, curled into a protective ball around her as she kissed Ciery’s forehead over and over, snuggling her up tight.

“Baby, my baby.” She crooned, stroking her fingers over Ciery’s hair, down her back, her arms, anywhere she could touch her and relish the sensation of having her daughter in her arms once more.

“Mama it hurts...”

With no short amount of alarm, Zelda registered how slurred Ciery’s speech was, how laboured her breathing was getting, and to her horror, she could feel dampness through her gown. Pulling back slightly, she almost had a heart attack at the crimson blood soaking through Ciery’s dress, staining her belly red.

“ _No_... Ciery!” She gasped, fingers pulling at the sodden material, staring with horrified eyes at the gash that stretched across her baby’s stomach, so deep she could see her intestines. Zelda immediately attempted to staunch the wound with her hands, blood pulsing out over her fingers.

 _“Ganondorf!”_ She shrieked, and he instantly warped to her side, swearing viciously and dropping to one knee beside her when he saw the blood. The Geldarms, which had been ignoring her in favour of attacking him, swivelled to face them with murderous intent and began to approach.

“ _Pincers_ …” She realised, swiftly peeling the fabric of Ciery’s dress away and lying her down flat; the little girl was breathing shallowly and stared dully at nothing. “Get Saffie and Link and bring them here. I can’t keep shielding them as well as heal a wound this severe.” She ordered, then touched his hand. “Keep the Geldarm’s away from us, Gan. I can’t defend myself _and_ save Ciery.”

He nodded determinedly and warped away. Zelda lowered the shield and in the next instant he was back, setting Saffie and Link at her side before he threw himself forwards, fury written over his features as he engaged the last several beasts in combat, leading them away from her.

Zelda ignored the fight, calling her magic and pouring every fibre of her being into her concentration as she pressed her hands over the wound, her fingers glowing golden as she let her magic surge forth, closing her eyes tightly as she visualised Ciery’s flesh knitting back together at her touch. She was decent at healing minor wounds, minor things, but this was anything but minor. She tried to hold back the fear that she wouldn’t be able to save her child. Beneath her fingers, she could feel skin and muscle closing together, and breathed a relieved sigh at the sight that met her eyes; the wound was closed, with nothing but a rapidly fading scar. Zelda smiled slightly and released her concentration; with that release came a rapid onslaught of nausea, and she wobbled and nearly crumpled as dizziness assaulted her. _Too much. Too much magic in_ _too little time_ – healing took a lot out of her, being something she needed to use only rarely, and with so much energy already expended on her shields and chains – well. Zelda touched her head, closing her eyes against the throbbing pain settling behind her temples, but opened them again as Ciery tried to sit up.

“Mama?” The little girl asked weakly. Zelda scooped her into her lap as Saffie and Link wiggled up close on either side.

“Baby.” Zelda said softly, feeling drained enough not even to attempt a complete sentence.

“Is Ciery going to be okay, Mama?” Asked an unusually quiet Saffie; the gravity of the situation had gotten to her.

“Yes.” Zelda whispered.

“Are we going to be okay?” Asked Link, and Zelda managed a smile.

“We are if your father has anything to say about it.”

A kind of quiet settled over the cavern as the unmistakable noise of a large corpse thudding to the floor, and Zelda knew Ganondorf had slain the last Geldarm; this theory was confirmed when she heard him drop to his knees besides her.

“Zelda? Zelda!” He called, cradling her face in his hands. “What’s wrong?”

“Mama fixed Ciery but now she’s sick.” Volunteered Saffie.

“Too much magic.” Zelda mumbled. “Shields and healing – don’t worry about me, worry about Ciery. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

“I will worry about both of you.” Ganondorf said grimly as he hoisted them both into his arms. Zelda managed to open her eyes long enough to smile at him, but then she had to give into her body’s demands for rest; she’d nearly burnt herself out, and her body needed recuperation in order to recover. She slept.

 

* * *

 

 Ganondorf glanced over the rim of his book for the umpteenth time; Zelda was still asleep. They’d made quite the dramatic entrance; his stallion had arrived home riderless, worrying all the Gerudo until he had warped into the centre of Nabooru’s chambers, scaring the daylights out of her, the rest of his children, and the other Gerudo who were in there. He supposed it would have looked very serious and sensational; his suddenly appearing, covered in dirt and bits of Geldarm with two petrified children in tow, his wife and smaller daughter both lying unconscious and blood-soaked in his arms.

Ciery was going to be alright, the healers had assured him; Zelda had saved her life, and now, after being forced to drink many foul tasting restorative potions, the little girl was sleeping – rest was very beneficial following such a loss of blood. Zelda, on the other hand, was harder to cure. After describing what she’d done, the healers had concluded she’d nearly burnt herself out, and so the only thing to be done was let her sleep and recover; she’d awaken in her own time.

It had been a few hours now since he’d brought them back from the healers; Zelda and Ciery were both asleep in bed, and he was keeping watch. Saffie, Link, Ralon, Niruni and Aela were all there too; Saffie and Link, who had been examined and released with no injuries besides shock, had been busy regaling the rest of the children with tales of what had happened.

“Mama!”

Ganondorf looked up from his book so fast his neck cricked; Ralon, who had been sitting on the bed waiting for his mother to wake up was now holding her hand, gazing rapturously at her as Zelda attempted to sit up. He crossed the room in a heartbeat, sitting on the edge of the bed and holding her steady.

“Zelda, are you alright?”

“I think so.” She mumbled. “Where’s Ciery?”

Ganondorf took her hand and guided it to their still sleeping daughter. “She’s here. She’s fine.”

Zelda smiled softly as she stroked a hand through Ciery’s hair. “She’ll really be okay?”

Ganondorf nodded. “Of course. When we got back the healers took her; she’s had a few potions and now she’s just resting.” He frowned at her then. “But what happened to you? Surely you didn’t use enough magic to wipe yourself out that much.”

She managed a smile. “No, I know. It’s just… I don’t have a great deal of experience with healing magic. Small cuts, scratches, they’re easy enough, but this… this was a serious wound. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to do it, so… I put everything I had into healing her.” Zelda had the good grace to look sheepish, at least. “Even my reserves.”

He shook his head then stroked her cheek lightly. “Well, you saved her life.”

A soft smile lit her features as she turned back to Ciery, brushing her fingers over the little nose before opening her arms to the rest of their children, who were piled anxiously at the edge of the bed. Ralon, Saffie, Link and Runi all but collapsed on top of her, and for a moment nothing could be heard but little voices clamouring to be heard over the top of one another.

Gradually, he heard Zelda asking to be let up, so Ganondorf waded into the pile of children and scooped his wife into his lap. She seemed much brighter now as she smiled at him, and then Ciery woke up from the noise.

“Mama?”

Zelda looked over to see the sleepy little girl rubbing her eyes, and she leaned over the top of Ralon to grab Ciery and pull her into her lap.

“My tiny one.” She whispered. “How are you feeling?”

“Good.” Ciery snuggled up close and closed her eyes while Zelda softly stroked her hair. Ralon touched his sister’s hand.

“Was it very scary Mama?” He asked, and Zelda leaned down to kiss his forehead.

“It was _very_ scary, but luckily your Papa was there to save the day.” She teased, glancing up at Ganondorf, who rolled his eyes and cuffed her chin.

“Please. It was your Mama, Ralon. _She_ saved the day.”

Ralon wiggled closer. “Nabooru said we should eat with her tonight – all us kids, so you can rest, Mama. Should we?”

Zelda felt Ganondorf nod behind her. “Yes, you’re all going to Nabs, except for Ciery. She needs rest as well.”

Ralon nodded solemnly. “I hope you feel better soon, Mama.”

“Me too!” Chimed in Niruni, attempting to stand on the bed and wobbling over. Zelda caught her with a laugh and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, baby. You too, Ralon.”

“Right.” Boomed Ganondorf, making them all jump. “Off you go, scamps. Mama’s all right now.”

Zelda insisted on giving each child a hug and kiss before they left, but eventually they were all out the door, toddling towards Nabooru’s house.

Leaning back against Ganondorf’s chest with a sigh, Zelda tipped her head back to look at him. “What a day.” She said softly, and he nodded.

“Mmm. Glad that’s over.”

“What happened to the horses?” She asked, genuinely wondering.

There was a slight pause. “I sent a party back to destroy the nest; it’s too close by, it needed to be removed. They found your horse dead, but mine managed to make it back to the fortress.”

“Oh, the poor thing.” She breathed.

“Mmm.” Ganondorf sounded fairly annoyed, now she thought about it.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, tilting her had back to see him as she played with Ciery’s long coppery strands.

He shifted and made one of those noises that signified he was really upset about something. “I should have sensed the Geldarms sooner. I put my wife and children in danger and I find that unforgiveable.” He lapsed into stony silence, and Zelda carefully laid a sleeping Ciery on the bedding, then turned in his lap so she could climb up on her knees and cup his jaw in her hands.

“Don’t blame yourself.” She said softly. “It wasn’t your fault. They don’t usually come so close to the fortress; you said that yourself.”

“Hmm.” She could see in his eyes that he didn’t agree, so she leaned in to kiss him softly.

The loud wail of a baby’s cry echoed through the room, and Zelda pulled back. “Someone’s hungry.” She said with a grin, and climbed off the bed to pick up Aela from her cot. The baby had already missed one feed, and now having woken up again, was decidedly cranky as she screamed.

Zelda hurriedly sat back down next to her husband, who had Ciery in his lap, and he wrapped an arm around her waist as she pulled the front of her gown away and let the screaming baby latch on, enjoying profound relief as the uncomfortable tightness of full breasts began to abate as Aela fed.

Ganondorf frowned into the distance, holding Zelda tightly against him. She was alive, they _all_ were, but… he ought to have recognised the approach of the Geldarms earlier. It was his fault his little girl had been so gravely injured. _Unacceptable_. It was wholly _unacceptable_. He gritted his teeth, regretting he hadn’t gone with the party of Gerudo that had left to clear out and destroy the Geldarm nest. No. Deeply rooted protective instincts took control, and his breath hissed between his teeth as he unconsciously scanned the room for threats while Zelda was distracted. Glancing down, he managed a slight smile at the sight of his daughter nursing; at times he wasn’t entirely sure where this intense need to protect and nurture children came from – all he knew was that now he had children of his own again, he wouldn’t – _couldn’t_ – let anything happen to them. At least there won’t be a repeat of last time, a little voice in the back of his mind whispered, and Ganondorf nodded slowly to himself. At least there was that. Having ended the cycle of the Triforce, he didn’t have to worry that Wisdom and Courage would murder his family again.

Aela finished feeding, and Ganondorf stroked Ciery’s hair as she slept curled up in his lap while Zelda expertly burped the baby. Aela cooed and waved her fists in the air, then yawned deeply. Zelda turned to smile up at him as she gently rocked the infant to sleep, then laid the baby in her lap. Ciery mumbled in her sleep and rolled over, and Zelda smiled and brushed her fingers over the toddler’s cheek. He captured her fingers and kissed them lightly as she leaned a little more firmly against him. One of his favourite things about her was that she didn’t feel the need to fill silence with vapid chatter; she was content to just sit with him and relax.

Some time later, when the children had returned from Nabooru’s, Ganondorf was tucking Aela into her cot while Zelda put the rest of the children to bed. Saffie and Link didn’t appear to be disturbed in the least from the day’s adventures, of which he was glad. Only Ciery had been properly traumatised; the little girl had refused point blank to be more than a metre away from her parents for the entirety of the afternoon, though Zelda hadn’t minded that. Ganondorf picked Aela up to play with her, and Zelda had spent long time carefully examining Ciery as though she didn’t trust her own magic to have healed the toddler, then spent a few hours just holding her.

Ganondorf looked up as Zelda came back into the room, cradling Ciery against her neck. The little girl waved at him, and he grinned and waved back.

“You good, Cissy?” he asked, crossing the room to sling an arm around Zelda’s waist.

Ciery smiled happily. “Yes Papa.”

Zelda smoothed her hair. “Ciery’s sleeping with us tonight.” Her gaze met his almost defiantly, as if she actually expected him to object. “I won’t be without her. Not now.”

“With Mama.” Ciery nodded in agreement.

Ganondorf grinned. “Well, I can’t say no to that.”

Zelda smiled and patted his hand softly as she crossed to the bed and set Ciery down, kissing her forehead lightly before she crossed to the dressing table she’d insisted upon having installed in his rooms so she could braid her hair for bed. Ganondorf climbed beneath the sheets and grinned at Ciery, who crawled over to sit beside him. She played with his fingers, measuring the size of his hand against her tiny one for a while, then played in his hair, trying to braid it herself.

“Here, Cissy.” He said, taking a few strands and showing her how to plait them together. The little girl furrowed her brow, a look of intense concentration on her face as she plaited, and when she managed to create a successful braid, she held it up for his perusal.

“Well done, Cissy.” He said. “You’ll be doing hair like your Mama in no time.”

Ciery laughed and clapped her hands; to her, the ultimate compliment was being told she was like her mother.

Ciery pointed at Zelda. “Papa, can you plait my hair?”

Ganondorf grinned. “Of course. I’ve been plaiting hair much longer than Mama has.” He boasted.

Ciery laughed like that was the funniest thing she’d ever heard.

Feeling a little affronted, he motioned at the little girl. “Come here, I’ll do your hair.”

Zelda smiled from her dressing table at the scene unfolding on the bed; Ganondorf had turned Ciery around and was braiding her hair, his fingers proving to be quite deft despite their size. She finished her own hair and cross the room to slip beneath the sheets, grinning at her daughter as she bounced impatiently, waiting for her father to finish her hair. Ganondorf finished tying the bow with a flourish, and Ciery clapped her hands delightedly.

“Yay! Papa can do hair!” She crowed, and Zelda snickered at the affronted look on Ganondorf’s face.

“Of course I can.” He said, seizing the little girl and tickling her until she begged for mercy.

“All right, that’s enough.” Said Zelda firmly, rescuing Ciery from the tickle monster. “She’ll never sleep if you keep doing that.”

Ganondorf chuckled, and then Ciery bounced up to kiss his cheek. After a quick snuggle, Zelda tucked the toddler in and kissed her forehead.

“Goodnight, Ciery.”

Ciery was quiet for a moment. “Mama?” She asked anxiously. “Are the scary worms going to come back?”

Zelda immediately propped herself up on her elbow and touched Ciery’s cheek softly. “Oh, pumpkin. You don’t have to worry about the worms; they’re all gone.” She poked Ganondorf, who was watching the little girl with a similarly concerned expression. “Aren’t they?”

Ganondorf nodded firmly. “Your Mama’s right, Cissy. The worms are all gone, and we went back and destroyed the nest when you were sleeping. There’s none left.”

Ciery looked down and fiddled with the sheet. “I don’t want to be eaten, Papa.”

Zelda looked anxiously at Ganondorf as he scooped Ciery into his side. “You won’t, Cissy.” He said. “I won’t let that happen.”

Ciery relaxed then. “Thank you, Papa.” The little girl fell asleep soon after that, holding hands with both her mama and papa.

Zelda became aware of Ganondorf watching her, and she looked up to smile at him.

“Goodnight.” She whispered, and he grinned back, though she could tell his earlier anger at himself was still bothering him.

“Goodnight.” He returned, then closed his eyes, signalling he didn’t want to talk. Zelda sighed but respected his wishes and tried to fall asleep.

 

* * *

 

Ganondorf was awakened by the screaming and crying of a child, and nearly fell out of bed as the sheet tangled around his legs in his hurry to arm himself. Zelda was also awake, gently shaking Ciery. Ganondorf frowned as Ciery thrashed and screamed, tears pouring down her face in her sleep. The little girl woke up and hiccupped, looking around fearfully.

“Worms!” She cried, scrabbling into her mother’s lap, and he and Zelda both understood. Zelda pulled the crying toddler into her arms and hugged her tightly, and Ganondorf moved closer and stroked her copper locks gently.

“No, baby. You’ve just had a nightmare, a bad dream.” Zelda kissed Ciery’s forehead as Aela began to scream; Ciery’s nightmare had evidently woken the baby up. Ganondorf swiftly got out of bed to calm the child before she woke the entire fortress – and the rest of the children.

When he got back into bed, with Aela crying but no longer screaming, he found Zelda whispering comforting things to Ciery, who had her tearstained face tucked against her mother’s throat.

“What time is it?” Asked Zelda with a slight yawn.

“Two.” He said, trying to calm Aela.

“Ugh.” Zelda sighed. “Give her to me; she wants to be fed.”

They swapped children, and Ganondorf picked up Ciery as Zelda began to nurse Aela.  
“Now listen, Cissy.” He murmured. “There are no worms, not any more. They’re all gone. You’re safe.”

Ciery just wiggled closer, little fingers catching in his chest hair with small twinges of pain that he dutifully ignored. He lay down again and tucked her into the crook of his elbow. “Go to sleep.” He said softly. “I’m here, and so is Mama.”

“Goodnight, Papa.” She mumbled, closing her eyes. He stroked her hair for a moment, then grinned at Zelda, who was smiling softly as she held Aela.

“Poor little thing.” Zelda whispered. “She’s terrified.”

“She has every right to be.”

The rest of the night passed without incident; if Ciery had more bad dreams, they at least didn’t wake her, and now that Aela was no longer hungry, she slept soundly as well, meaning Ganondorf and Zelda had peace for the rest of the night.


End file.
